Star Wars 1. There Is Another

_OBI-WAN KENOBI: That boy is our last hope._

_YODA: No. There is another._

-The Empire Strikes Back

**Previously on **_**Fallen**_

_The doors to Jade's office had barely closed before they were practically welded together. But Starkiller wasn't as… expressive as he normally was. All of his movements seemed slower, as though he were weighed down by something terrible.__  
__"Mara…" he whispered her seldom-used surname.__  
__"It's okay," she whispered.__  
__Both of them felt tense as they slowly let their guards down for each other. This wasn't the intense, but ultimately meaningless, physical relationship it had been at first. Over the years, they had grown to really care for each other in ways they were not at liberty to show to the outside world.__  
__"We don't have much time," Starkiller told her, almost apologetically. "My father having Leia killed without consulting me means he's distancing himself from me, which can only mean one thing… he'll be coming for me soon."__  
__There was very real fear in Starkiller's eyes as he said this, and Jade shivered. "Maybe you'll defeat him," she suggested, with more optimism than she actually felt, "and this will all be for naught."__  
__"Yeah," Starkiller agreed, though his voice betrayed the same lack of faith. "Maybe."_

_"We haven't met," Starkiller began calmly, "but I'm certain you're aware of who I am."__  
__"Oh yeah, I know all about you," Anakin answered coldly. "You're only the second most evil man in the galaxy."__  
__Starkiller smiled icily in reply. "Perhaps."__  
__"Let's just skip the veiled threats and move right to the explicit threats," Anakin suggested. "What do you want from me?"__  
__"To make you stronger," Starkiller answered, to Anakin's shock. "To make you capable of killing my father. Or me, if you have to. To put a stop to all of this."_

_"You're going to have to decide, you know," Jade noted. "He's far enough in his training that it's going to start to matter."__  
__"All I've ever seen is failed Jedi training. My training. The descriptions of my father's training from Obi-Wan and my father. When they mess up, they seem to mess up pretty bad. It might be better just to start him off as a Sith to begin with."__  
__"And do you honestly think a Sith can save the galaxy?"__  
__Starkiller gave her a hurt look. "I thought that's what I was doing."__  
__Jade's reply was a silent stare, but the implication was obvious._ Are you sure you're a Sith?

_Anakin understood, but he did not surrender himself as his uncle had.__  
__"I'm sorry," he said, and meant it. But with the newly discovered power of the Force he called his uncle's old lightsaber to his hand and ignited it._

xxx

_**Fallen**_

xxx

Darth Starkiller; Sith Lord (male human from Tatooine)

Anakin Solo; Rogue Leader (male human from Hapes)

Mara Jade; Bounty Hunter's Guild Headmistress (female human from Coruscant)

Darth Vader; Sith Lord (male human from Tatooine)

Zekk; Bounty Hunter (male human from Coruscant)

Alema Rar; Bounty Hunter (female Twi'lek from Ryloth)

xxx

**There Is Another**

"You fool!" Jade shouted at the boy. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Someone has to put a stop to this," Anakin answered firmly, gripping the green lightsaber in both hands. "The galaxy is trapped in a vicious cycle. And I'm going to put a stop to it."

"Then stop it," Starkiller answered calmly, igniting his own red lightsaber. "But when you attack me, do so with complete calm. No anger. No fear. Otherwise you'll end up just like my father and I, and the cycle will continue."

Not heeding his words, Anakin charged forward and put all his force behind an aggressive blow leveled at his uncle's midsection. Starkiller effortlessly parried, holding his blade with only one hand, and Anakin was pushed off balance.

"Control," Starkiller chastised. "You will never rid the galaxy of me charging at me like a krayt dragon in heat."

Gritting his teeth in anger, Anakin swung wildly again and again at the older man, forcing him to back away, but Starkiller remained in control, effortlessly batting away Anakin's more aggressive strikes.

Starkiller finally stepped towards one of Anakin's attacks, raising his blade in a two-handed grip, and stopped Anakin's attack cold, briefly forcing their blades to lock.

"My father and I both started with the best of intentions," Starkiller continued calmly, as though they were not currently engaged in a life-or-death struggle. "He wanted to save his wife. I wanted to save him. We both wanted to save the galaxy. But our emotions overcame our intentions. We became agents of evil."

Anakin managed to free his blade, but the battle continued at the same pace. Slash, parry. Slash, parry. Nothing could break Starkiller's maddening calm. Anakin's attacks continued to be erratic, Starkiller's defense robotically efficient.

"The Jedi are not like the Sith," Starkiller resumed. "They are passive, and allow the Force to guide their actions. You must be serene."

Anakin pressed the attack, but this time his movements felt more natural, more fluid. Unforced.

"Good," Starkiller complimented, though he still effortlessly blocked each strike. "You're learning control."

"It feels more like _I'm_ being controlled," Anakin complained.

"That's the Jedi way," Starkiller told him. "They are passive, and allow the force to work through them. The Sith try to control the Force, try to control nature. The backlash is what warps them."

Somewhere along the line, it had stopped being a real fight. Anakin wasn't sure when the change occurred, but by the time Starkiller stepped back and switched his saber off, Anakin had no desire to kill the man he had seen as an enemy for his entire life. Instead, he switched his saber off as well, and caught his breath.

This impromptu training session was also the first that hadn't ended with Anakin either disarmed or on the ground.

"Good," Starkiller complimented. "Guildmistress Jade… I think we can trust him not to run away if we move him out of his sell." His eyes never left Anakin's as he addressed Jade. "I think he realizes he needs us as much as we need him."

"How can you train me to be a Jedi?" Anakin asked, still breathing rapidly. "How can I trust you to do that?"

"You'll likely not have heard of Yoda. He was the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order long before I was born, and possibly the single greatest Jedi Master who ever lived. He gave me all the training needed to become a Jedi Knight. All that was left was the final test." Starkiller smiled sadly. "I failed. Obviously."

"So…"

"So I can give you all the training you need, Anakin. Up until the final test that makes you a Jedi, without which everything else is meaningless. And on that front, I am afraid I can offer you nothing. You must succeed where I failed, or the galaxy is doomed."

xxx

Back in Jade's chamber, Starkiller held her in his arms more tenderly than he ever had before.

"You're starting to get soft," Jade commented, though she made no move to extricate herself from his arms. "That's not good."

"It doesn't matter. I'm not going to be the one to defeat my father. The only way I know is the dark way. And then we'd be right back where we started."

"Sometimes I think you don't give yourself enough credit," Jade chided. "Maybe—"

"This is the way it has to be, Mara," Starkiller answered with conviction. "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I have to give Anakin a chance to do what I couldn't do."

"But you'll die!" Jade protested.

"Probably," Starkiller conceded.

"Luke—"

And he pulled her close and kissed her more tenderly than he ever had before. Because he knew that very soon, they would kiss for the last time.

"You're going to need to be strong, too, Mara," Starkiller continued apologetically. "When I'm gone, you're going to have to protect him until he's strong enough to fight Vader."

"I don't know if I can do it," Jade admitted.

"You have to. No one else can."

They held each other close, and waited for their world to end.

xxx

Anakin recognized the boy who escorted him to his quarters from earlier. He was one of the two bounty hunters who had captured him and brought him to Myrkr. The one who had seemed way too nice to be a bounty hunter.

"This is your room," Zekk said as they stepped into a chamber not much larger than the cell Anakin had previously occupied, though much more comfortably furnished. "I know it's not much…" Zekk added apologetically.

"It's great," Anakin answered with sarcastic enthusiasm, causing the other boy to laugh. "I'm a fighter pilot for the Rebel Alliance. I'm not exactly used to having my own room at all, you know?"

"I guess that makes sense," Zekk agreed. He smiled – something he seemed to do an awful lot of for a bounty hunter. "I guess we come from similar backgrounds after all."

"I wouldn't go that far," Anakin answered darkly.

Anakin hopped onto the bed and found it unyielding, but that worked for him. "I'm afraid we were never properly introduced."

"No, we weren't, Commander Solo," Zekk agreed with a slight smile.

"You have me at a disadvantage, then," Anakin pointed out. "All I know you by is Zekk."

Zekk didn't exactly frown, but his smile lessened in intensity. "That's all anyone knows me by."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Zekk's expression brightened again. "Don't be," he reassured Anakin. "I don't have any regrets about how I've lived my life. And it's not like I don't have choices. Zekk Jade, because the Headmistress has been like a mother to me? Zekk Veila, because Tahiri has been like a sister?"

Anakin grew suddenly pensive at the mention of Tahiri.

"Oh, right." Zekk shook his head. "Have I not managed to convince you that bounty hunters aren't all bad?"

"She still lied to me," Anakin pointed out.

Zekk smiled sadly. "Can't you understand how hard it must have been for her?"

"I guess we'll have a lot to talk about," Anakin answered heavily. "If I ever see her again."

xxx

Starkiller gasped and sat up abruptly.

"What is it?" Jade asked from beside him.

"He's here."

Jade and Starkiller looked into each other's eyes for what they both knew would be their last moments together.

"Take Anakin," Luke instructed in resignation. "And go."

He started to turn away, but Jade caught him by the arm. "Skywalker."

Their eyes met again, and everything that had remained unspoken for so long suddenly slipped out.

"I love you."

"I love you, too," Starkiller answered hoarsely, holding back his tears. "Now go!"

xxx

Because it is very difficult to miss a Super Star Destroyer entering a system, Lord Vader had ordered the _Executor_ to drop out of hyperspace just outside of the Myrkr system. From there, he had taken his personal shuttle, which was now touching down quietly outside of the Bounty Hunter's Guild facility. Thus far, there was no sign of alarm from within the facility.

Flanked by stormtroopers of the famed 501st, Vader exited the shuttle and approached the facility. A Twi'lek female approached from within the facility, holding her hands open to show that she wasn't armed. As Vader approached, she knelt before him.

"My Lord," the Twi'lek greeted, her eyes downcast.

"Shall we take her into custody, sir?" one of the stormtroopers asked.

"I am but a bounty hunter, my Lord," Alema pled. "But I can lead you to whomever it is you seek. I have but one humble request."

Vader finally spoke, and his voice was terrifying. "I have little patience for the requests of traitors, helpful though they might be."

"I ask only that you leave me the boy," Alema insisted. "In exchange for my assistance."

"We will take what we need with or without your help, bounty hunter," Vader answered coldly. "If you choose to help us, your payment will be to keep your pitiful life."

If it was possible, Alema shrank lower to the ground. "My Lord."

xxx

As it happened, Alema did not need to lead Vader very far at all. His apprentice – his son – stood waiting for him in the very first corridor.

"Welcome to Myrkr, Lord Vader," his son greeted calmly.

"Lord Starkiller," Vader greeted.

The younger man's lightsaber sprang to life with a _snap-hiss_, and there was a different look in his eyes as he looked up at his father. "No. That's not who I am anymore. My name is Luke Skywalker."

**To Be Continued**


	2. Reunion

"Death is the starlit strip between the companionship of yesterday and the reunion of tomorrow"  
-Mark Twain

**Previously on **_**Fallen**_  
_Zekk smiled sadly. "Can't you understand how hard it must have been for Tahiri?"__  
__"I guess we'll have a lot to talk about," Anakin answered heavily. "If I ever see her again."_

_Tahiri was not an expert slicer. She had been trained in the skill as much as was necessary for her profession, but it wasn't enough to even think about cracking the Guild database's protected files. Neveretheless, Tahiri had spent more than a decade trying to make up for her lack of expertise with sheer determination.__  
__She had never met her parents, but she had to know who had been responsible for their deaths. She had to know that the suspicion she had harbored for all these years was wrong.__  
__As usual, frustration was Tahiri's only reward for her hours of tedious work._

_Jacen: "Can you give me any information that will help us rescue Anakin?"__  
__Tahiri: "Absolutely. But the information would be useless to you. You need someone who can actually get into the Bounty Hunter's Guild. Someone like, I don't know… me."__  
__Jacen: "Why didn't you complete the contract? And why do you want to help my brother so badly?"__  
__Tahiri smiled sadly. "Isn't it obvious? I'm in love with him."__  
__Yes. Jacen could see she was telling the truth. Many things could be faked; loving someone with every fiber of your being? That was impossible to fake.__  
__Jacen: "I'll do everything in my power to get you out of here, official or otherwise. And we're going to save him. I swear it."_

_Alarm klaxons began blaring through the_ Eldest_, loud enough to hear even through the_ Falcon_'s hull. "Ah. That'll be our exit cue."__  
__"Captain Solo, you're harboring a known fugitive."__  
__The docking bay doors started closing. "Jaina!" Jacen protested.__  
__"_Millennium Falcon_, stand down! This is your only warning!"__  
__"There seems to be a problem with your bay doors,_ Eldest_," Jaina answered sweetly. "I'll just do a manual override for you."_

_"Sir! She's charging weapons!"__  
__Han looked as though he might smile with pride, but forced himself to remain composed. "Let her go," he ordered, apparently resigned._

_Starkiller gasped and sat up abruptly. "He's here."__  
__Jade and Starkiller looked into each other's eyes for what they both knew would be their last moments together. He started to turn away, but Jade caught him by the arm. "Skywalker."__  
__Their eyes met again, and everything that had remained unspoken for so long suddenly slipped out.__  
__"I love you."__  
__"I love you, too," Starkiller answered hoarsely, holding back his tears. "Now go!"_

_His apprentice – his son – stood waiting for him in the very first corridor.__  
__"Welcome to Myrkr, Lord Vader," his son greeted calmly.__  
__"Lord Starkiller," Vader greeted.__  
__The younger man's lightsaber sprang to life with a snap-hiss, and there was a different look in his eyes as he looked up at his father. "No. That's not who I am anymore. My name is Luke Skywalker."_

xxx

"Amusing," Vader said calmly as he drew his own lightsaber, moving much more slowly and deliberately than his son as they started to circle each other.

"Father, it's time to let go of the darkness," Luke implored. "We can be free."

"I will not listen to this foolishness!" Vader answered harshly, slashing his saber towards Luke with a great deal of force.

Luke parried, sidestepped, and slashed calmly towards his father's side. Vader easily parried and disengaged.

This was a very dangerous battle for both of them. Neither had faced an opponent of the other's quality in several decades. Though Vader's skill with the blade was far superior, it was not out of the realm of possibility that his son could vanquish him and leave the galaxy rulerless. So far, both of them were merely testing each other's guard, the true fight had not begun.

"If you insist on continuing this madness," Vader continued, "I will be forced to destroy you as I did your sister."

If Luke had been a Jedi of any considerable training and experience, he would've fought to maintain his calm. But he was not, and Vader's words had the desired effect.

With a cry of rage, Luke charged at his father, and their blades began to clash in earnest.

xxx

_**Fallen**_

Luke Skywalker; Jedi Knight (male human from Tatooine)  
Mara Jade; Bounty Hunter's Guild Headmistress (female human from Coruscant)  
Commander Anakin Solo; Rogue Leader (male human from Hapes)  
Agent Jaina Solo; captain, _Millennium Falcon_ (female human from Hapes)  
Doctor Jacen Solo; Alliance Medical Officer (male human from Hapes)  
Tahiri Veila; Bounty Hunter (female human from Tatooine)  
Zekk; Bounty Hunter (male human from Coruscant)  
Darth Vader; Sith Lord (male human from Tatooine)

xxx

Reunion

The hallways of the Bounty Hunter's Guild were conspicuously empty as Anakin and Mara ran for the nearest exterior exit. Jade kept glancing over her shoulder as though expecting pursuit.

"Where are all of your minions?" Anakin asked breathlessly as they continued running.

"We don't usually have an overabundance of bounty hunters sitting around twiddling their thumbs," Jade answered harshly. "Right now it's just Alema and Zekk. And I trust Alema about as far as I can throw this building."

"Then why have her here at all?" Anakin asked reasonably.

"She's Force sensitive. All of my 'minions' are."

That surprised Anakin enough to make him stop in the middle of the hallway. "Wait. So they can do what I do?"

Mara also stopped further down the hallway and turned to face him. "Right now all you're doing is getting us killed. Come on!"

"You were building an army," Anakin accused.

"Yes, a very poorly trained army that did menial tasks for galactic law," Mara answered scornfully. "Luke just wanted to keep them out of his father's way until he knew what to do with them."

"But they _can_ do what I do," Anakin pressed.

Mara smiled unpleasantly. "Not _exactly_ what you can do, Solo. You have Skywalker blood in you. That makes you special." Her expression hardened. "And that's why we were _running_. Now get a move on!"

As they continued down the hallway, Mara's comlink chirped. Her face seemed unusually vulnerable, a combination of anxiety and elation. "This better be good news, Skywalker!"

"Sorry," replied a genuinely apologetic-sounding voice.

"Zekk?" Mara frowned in surprise. "What are you still doing here? I gave the order to evacuate."

"Alema appears to be in league with the Imperials," Zekk informed her. "I'm in the control room, but I need your administrator password so I can get into the system and stop her from helping them. I might even be able to slow them down a little."

Mara appeared genuinely torn, but finally rattled off a series of numbers and symbols.

"I'm in," Zekk informed her.

"Zekk, I want you to get out of here as soon as you can, you hear me?"

"Why the sudden concern?" Zekk teased. "I think I'll pass on wading through Imperial troops if it's all the same to you. I've sealed off the control room. I'm as safe here as anywhere."

"That's not going to hold them, and you know it."

Zekk refused to answer that point. "Good hunting," he wished her instead.

Mara sighed. "Thank you, Zekk."

xxx

Luke had quickly worn himself out with his early wild attacks, while Vader had blocked them with cool efficiency. Now, Luke's attacks were much more controlled and precise, but breaking Vader's guard remained apparently impossible.

"This is pointless," Vader said after they disengaged from another fruitless exchange.

Luke was indeed beginning to feel disheartened.

_Luke._

Luke gasped in recognition. _Obi-Wan?_

_It's alright, Luke. You've done your part. You've let go of the darkness. This is no longer your path. Come with me, and I will show you your next path._

Vader stepped towards Luke again. "Give up now while I still allow it."

"Victory is not the only acceptable goal," Luke answered calmly. "That's something the Sith will never comprehend. I see that now."

"Enough." With that, Vader swung his lightsaber at his former apprentice. But there was nothing there to strike. In an eerily familiar scene, Luke's cloak fell to the ground, empty.

xxx

Mara suddenly faltered, almost losing her balance.

"What's wrong?" Anakin asked, concerned.

Jade bit her lip, her eyes glassy with tears she would not shed just yet. "Nothing," she answered stiffly. "Let's keep moving."

xxx

As the _Millennium Falcon_ dropped out of hyperspace, the vibrant green of planet Myrkr was obscured by a more immediate object hanging between them and the planet.

"Kriff!" Jaina shouted as she suddenly veered the _Falcon_ away.

"What _is_ that?" Jacen asked in awe.

"Star Destroyer?" Tahiri answered uncertainly.

"_Super_ Star Destroyer," Jaina corrected.

"Corellian vessel, this is the _Guardian_. You have entered restricted space. Power down your engines and prepare to be boarded."

"Why the hell are there Imperials here?" Tahiri demanded of no one in particular.

"Can we outrun them?" Jacen asked anxiously.

Jaina bit her lip.

"Jaina?" Jacen pressed.

"This is going to get rough," Jaina admitted.

"Corellian vessel, this is your final warning. We are dispatching interceptors."

"Hang on," Jaina instructed, and accelerated to the _Falcon_'s top sublight speed.

xxx

This time it was Anakin's turn to abruptly stop. He started looking around, appearing confused.

"Mara," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't feel it. I can't feel the Force."

Jade grinned. "Excellent. A ysalamir."

Anakin gave her a blank look.

"Ysalamiri are creatures that live in the trees here. They create bubbles that repel the Force."

"Why is that a good thing?"

"Because it should protect us from being sensed by Vader. That means he has to rely on conventional means to catch us." Mara grinned dangerously. "And I was trained by the Emperor to be much better than any of his soldiers."

xxx

Despite Jaina's best efforts, the _Falcon_ continued to shake under laserfire from the pursuing TIE Fighters.

"So, what exactly is your plan?" Tahiri asked nervously.

"Does your Guild building have an internal docking bay or platforms?"

"Internal, of course," Tahiri answered, sounding almost insulted.

"I figured as much," Jaina answered cheerfully. "That should help."

"Help what?"

Jaina didn't answer, but the large, armored building soon came into view. And Jaina wasn't slowing down.

"Jaina…?" Jacen prodded nervously.

"If you're not already strapped in I recommend doing so now," Jaina suggested lightly.

"Jaina, the doors are closed," Jacen pointed out unnecessarily.

Jaina pulled her secondary triggers, and two concussion missiles launched at said docking bay doors.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" Tahiri demanded.

"Based on the Imperial activity in the area, I think it's safe to assume the Bounty Hunter's Guild is under new management," Jaina pointed out. "We're going to need to get in and out as quickly as possible. We're going to treat this like enemy territory. Understood?"

Without slowing down, Jaina brought the _Falcon_ into the docking bay for an extremely rough landing. Jacen and Tahiri both bit back their complaints, and Jaina led the way out of the ship.

xxx

Tahiri naturally led the way through most of the facility, as she was the most familiar with it. They made very slow progress because of the necessity of avoiding Imperial patrols, but eventually they found themselves at the cell block, which turned out to be divided into several separate hallways.

"It doesn't look like these are being patrolled," Jacen noted.

"Who's going to intentionally come to the cell blocks?" Tahiri pointed out. "They're probably just watching the entrances and exits, and all the vital areas like the control room."

"But we have to assume they're looking for us," Jaina cautioned. "And they'll definitely be waiting for us in the docking bay."

"Getting back to the ship is going to be challenging to say the least," Jacen noted mournfully.

"That might not be an option for us," Jaina admitted. "I knew that when we entered the way we did."

"There are secondary docking bays," Tahiri informed them. "Nothing much more substantial than Skiprays and the like, but they'll get us out of here at least."

"We need to be as quick as possible, and the quickest way to find Anakin is going to be to split up," Jaina said. "Tahiri, you take this hallway. I'll take that one. Jacen, you take that one. We'll meet back here."

The others agreed, and they split up.

xxx

Jacen had gone through most of the cells in his hallway and was starting to get annoyed when he finally found one that was occupied.

"Oh!" he exclaimed in surprise as the boy in the cell jumped lightly onto the ground. "You're not Anakin."

The boy grinned broadly. "Guilty as charged. That must be why the Imps threw me in here. Name's Zekk."

"Jacen."

Zekk's eyes widened slightly in recognition. "You're his brother."

"Yeah."

Zekk's eyes raked up and down Jacen's body, and Jacen's gaze dropped to the floor in embarrassment. "I'm not the tough soldier type like he is, if that's what you're thinking."

"Maybe," Zekk agreed lightly. "But that isn't what I was thinking."

Jacen blinked in surprise, and Zekk smiled again. "I was thinking your brother must not be the only one that makes the girls and boys of the fleet swoon."

Jacen's cheeks warmed violently and he had to look away, stammering, "I should… get back to Jaina and Tahiri."

"Tahiri!" Zekk exclaimed. "She's here?"

"Yeah… how do you…?"

"I knew she'd come for him!" Zekk continued, exuberant. "You're not going to find him here, though. He and Mara fled into the woods. Take me with you. I'll take you to them."

Jacen hesitated, but Zekk seemed genuinely good-natured, and Tahiri would probably know if he was to be trusted. "Sure," he finally agreed. "Follow me."

xxx

Any questions about Tahiri's opinion of Zekk's trustworthiness were answered when the two almost tackled each other in a bone-crushing hug.

"Who's this?" Jaina asked skeptically.

"Zekk," Tahiri answered lightly. "Pretty much the only bounty hunter I'd ever recommend trusting. What are you doing here?"

"I was using the HQ's defenses to keep the Imperials occupied and give Mistress Jade and Anakin a chance to escape," Zekk explained.

Tahiri frowned in confusion. "The Headmistress and Anakin are working together?"

Zekk shrugged. "I don't entirely understand it, but it did appear to be the case. They fled into the woods. I'm sure between the two of us, we can find them. The Mistress taught us everything there is to know about that jungle."

Tahiri nodded in agreement. "Before we leave, though… Jade gave you her administrative password?"

Zekk grinned. "Yeah. I even managed to lock the Imperials out of the computers before they took me. This base is completely useless to them. Actually, it would probably be a good idea to slag the computer core on our way out just to be sure."

"Perfect," Tahiri agreed. "But while we're there, I need you to do me a favor… I need you to let me in to the archives."

Zekk raised his brow in surprise.

"There's something I need to know," Tahiri explained.

xxx

Anakin was exhausted when he and Mara finally stopped for the night to set up camp. Their supplies were, of course, minimal, but all Anakin really needed was a place to collapse for the night.

"Do you think he made it?" Anakin asked, uncertain what to call the man he had called Starkiller for so long, but knowing that Mara would know who he was talking about.

Mara did not answer, but her silence spoke volumes.

"You don't think there's even a chance?" Anakin pressed.

"Drop it," Mara warned.

"But—"

"I _know_ he didn't make it," Mara finally admitted, frustrated.

Anakin was taken aback, and surprised to find himself affected by the news. "How?"

"I'm not nearly as strong in the Force as he was," Mara explained. "My training was much more rudimentary, and much more specific… Luke" – she almost choked up at his name – "filled in some of the gaps for me. I'll never have the control he had… but… when two Force sensitives have the kind of relationship we had for as long as we did…" she sighed heavily.

"You loved him," Anakin stated unnecessarily.

Mara's answering smile was more of a wince, and she was obviously fighting to keep her composure.

"I'm sorry," Anakin said genuinely.

Mara nodded in thanks, but no longer trusted her voice. And Anakin knew he had one more reason to hate the Empire; the last reason he ever would've expected. The death of Darth Starkiller. The second death of Luke Skywalker.

Thanks to Skywalker's training, Anakin also knew he might actually be able to do something about it now.

xxx

"I hate to ask, as much as I've grown attached to this disgusting jungle," Anakin inquired ruefully as he and Mara continued trudging through the rainforest, "but where exactly are we going?"

"Believe it or not, there actually is a city on this godforsaken planet. Hyllyard City. It's nothing to write home about, but we should be able to find passage off this rock, at least."

Anakin frowned. "Isn't that exactly what the Imperials will expect us to do?"

Mara smiled appreciatively. The boy was not dumb, at least. "Yes. But unfortunately the reason they _expect_ us to do that is that it's the only thing we _can_ do."

Anakin was silent for a moment while he had to concentrate on navigating some particularly rough terrain (Jade, of course, seemed to do the same effortlessly), but once they were on smoother ground he continued, "If you can get me a subspace transmitter I can have a good portion of the Alliance fleet here in a few days."

Now Mara almost laughed. "You really want to risk the loyal soldiers of your glorious rebellion against a Super Star Destroyer?"

Anakin shot her his own sardonic look in return. "You really want to trust the formidable smugglers of Myrkr to get us past the Imperial lines?"

Instead of answering, Jade stopped midstep, causing Anakin to almost run over her. She stopped him with her arm and gestured for quiet. She looked very alert.

"What?" Anakin whispered.

"Someone's coming," Jade answered. Her blaster was already drawn.

Anakin longed for the comfortable weight of his own blaster, but instead found his uncle's strange weapon. "Great," he whispered to himself as he raised the lightsaber handle but didn't ignite it.

Instead of the menacing white armor of Imperial Stormtroopers, the approaching figures appeared clothed in casual fatigues. Though slightly relieved, Anakin and Mara didn't lower their weapons. "Identify yourselves!" Mara called into the woods.

"Don't worry!" a familiar voice called in return as the figures approached. "It's just the calvary!"

"Jaina!" Anakin shouted excitedly, holstering his weapon and rushing towards her voice. Mara followed warily, her blaster still held at her side.

As they got closer, Anakin recognized his siblings, Zekk… and Tahiri.

Before any further words could be exchanged, it became obvious that Tahiri still had her weapon drawn and trained on Mara.

"Drop it!" Tahiri instructed Mara harshly.

"Tahiri?" Anakin asked uncertainly, stopping in his tracks next to Mara.

"Get over here, Anakin," Tahiri demanded. "I don't want to hit you by mistake."

Anakin refused to budge, remaining next to Mara. "Tahiri, what the hell are you doing?"

"She killed my parents, Anakin!"

**To Be Continued**


	3. Revelations

**Previously on **_**Fallen**_  
_Luke had quickly worn himself out with his early wild attacks, while Vader had blocked them with cool efficiency. Now, Luke's attacks were much more controlled and precise, but breaking Vader's guard remained apparently impossible.__  
__"This is pointless," Vader said after they disengaged from another fruitless exchange.__  
__Luke was indeed beginning to feel disheartened.__  
__[Luke.]__  
__Luke gasped in recognition. [Obi-Wan?]__  
__[It's alright, Luke. You've done your part. You've let go of the darkness. This is no longer your path. Come with me, and I will show you your next path.]__  
__Vader stepped towards Luke again. "Give up now while I still allow it."__  
__"Victory is not the only acceptable goal," Luke answered calmly. "That's something the Sith will never comprehend. I see that now."__  
__"Enough." With that, Vader swung his lightsaber at his former apprentice. But there was nothing there to strike. In an eerily familiar scene, Luke's cloak fell to the ground, empty._

_"Don't worry!" a familiar voice called in return as the figures approached. "It's just the calvary!"__  
__"Jaina!" Anakin shouted excitedly, holstering his weapon and rushing towards her voice. Mara followed warily, her blaster still held at her side.__  
__As they got closer, Anakin recognized his siblings, Zekk… and Tahiri.__  
__Before any further words could be exchanged, it became obvious that Tahiri still had her weapon drawn and trained on Mara.__  
__"Drop it!" Tahiri instructed Mara harshly.__  
__"Tahiri?" Anakin asked uncertainly, stopping in his tracks next to Mara.__  
__"Get over here, Anakin," Tahiri demanded. "I don't want to hit you by mistake."__  
__Anakin refused to budge, remaining next to Mara. "Tahiri, what the hell are you doing?"__  
__"She killed my parents, Anakin!"_

xxx

"Is it true?" Anakin demanded. He still stood between the group and Mara; there was murder in Tahiri's eyes, and Anakin had little doubt that she _would_ kill Mara if he gave her the opportunity.

"No," Mara answered firmly, but her gaze dropped and her resolve seemed to falter. "And yes," she added, more subdued.

"What the hell does that mean?" Tahiri demanded, still gripping her blaster so tightly her knuckles threatened to go white.

"Why don't we all just put down our guns and talk about this," Anakin suggested. "Calmly."

"Anakin—"

"I'm not just going to let you shoot her, Tahiri!"

Their eyes met, and for a moment all the anger and tension was naked between them. Anakin felt sick. _You lied to me,_he found himself thinking. _You won't believe in me!_ Tahiri's gaze seemed to answer.

"He's right," Zekk said to Tahiri gently, placing his hand on Tahiri's arm to encourage her to lower her weapon. "Put down the blaster, Tahiri."

The invisible knife in Anakin's gut twisted violently as Tahiri reluctantly responded to Zekk's appeal. The bond of trust between her and Zekk was obvious. It was the bond he had thought he had with Tahiri.

Anakin tore his gaze away from Tahiri. He felt suddenly numb, barely even noticing as his siblings embraced him in turn.

"So," Anakin suggested stiffly. "Let's talk."

xxx

_**Fallen**_

Mara Jade; bounty hunter (female human from Hapes)

Anakin Solo; Jedi Apprentice (male human from Hapes)

Jaina Solo; captain, _Millennium Falcon_ (female human from Hapes)

Jacen Solo; doctor (male human from Hapes)

Tahiri Veila; bounty hunter (female human from Tatooine)

Zekk; bounty hunter (male human from Tatooine)

xxx

**Revelations**

The tension in the group was still palpable as they warily sat in a rough circle in the clearing. Anakin noticed with a pang that Tahiri sat next to Zekk. He missed her glance tentatively in his direction because he was consciously avoiding looking at the two.

"I saw the archives," Tahiri blurted accusingly at Mara.

"I gathered as much," Mara acknowledge nonchalantly.

"You were the one who took me from Tatooine," Tahiri pressed.

"I never made any attempt to hide that fact from you."

"My parents were killed during that mission!"

"I didn't kill them," Mara stated flatly.

"Then who did?" Tahiri demanded. "If you expect me to believe you, you're going to have to give me more than that."

Mara sighed.

"I always assumed I was an orphan when you found me. Like Zekk. But I wasn't. Why? Why me?"

"Starkiller sent me to find you," Mara answered unapologetically. "He had inside information that the Empire was planning to do the same thing."

"Why me?" Tahiri repeated desperately.

Mara hesitated, but seemed to resolve herself to tell the truth after all. "You're Force sensitive, Tahiri."

Tahiri looked stunned. As did the Solos – especially Anakin. Zekk actually gasped.

Mara smiled at him. "Don't look so shocked, Zekk. You are, too."

Tahiri was the first to grasp the implications. "Lowbacca?"

Mara nodded.

"Alema?" Tahiri added reluctantly.

Mare smiled apologetically.

"That's why he wanted me, too!" Anakin realized.

Mara gave him a withering look that seemed to ask, _You're just now figuring that out?_. "Yes. The three of you would never have made it through the screenings."

"The three--? Oh." Anakin glanced at his siblings.

"Is _everyone_ Force sensitive?" Jaina demanded flippantly.

Mara's expression darkened. "No. Thanks to Vader, it's actually quite rare."

"But we can all do what Anakin can do?" Tahiri asked breathlessly, her wonder momentarily overcoming her hostility.

"No," Mara answered bluntly. "There are degrees of Force sensitivity, and he's off the charts. His raw power might actually rival Vader's."

Anakin's head spun.

"Even if what you're saying is true," Tahiri rejoined, "why save us from the screenings?"

Anakin answered before Mara could. "He was building an army, wasn't he?"

"An army that you were meant to lead," Mara confirmed.

That revelation rocked Anakin on his heels. "Me?"

"Not to sound like a broken holo," Tahiri insisted, "but what the hell happened to my parents?"

Mara's gaze drifted downward and she became subdued again. "As I alluded to, the Empire conducts periodic screenings for Force sensitivity. On the Core Worlds, they do it at birth. In a medcenter, it's easy to make it look like an accident shortly after birth. Infants are so fragile, after all. We usually don't find anyone viable on Core Worlds before it's too late. On the Outer Rim, though… the local governments handle the screenings. They usually don't catch it until shortly after birth… and then they call for the troops."

"So Starkiller was able to intercept the order and get there first," Anakin interpreted.

"That's how it worked when we were successful," Mara confirmed.

"They were coming to kill me," Tahiri understood.

"Yes," Mara confirmed. "Your parents resisted. Not the smartest choice, as it cost them their lives… but it probably saved yours."

Tahiri visibly fought to keep her composure. "I'm sorry."

Mara hook her head. "Don't be. You're right about me, Tahiri. I am a monster. I fully intended to kidnap you, to take you away from them. If you want to hate me for that, I can't blame you."

"No," Tahiri answered soberly. "I hate _them_. And I'm going to make them pay."

"Luke would say anger leads to the Dark Side," Mara said ruefully.

"Luke?" Jacen asked in confusion.

Anakin shifted uncomfortably. "Oh. This is the really complicated part."

xxx

"I guess I should've listened to that speech after all," Jacen murmured, looking as though he had been punched in the gut.

"Speech?" Anakin asked, confused.

"Mom was giving a speech about the rumors that she was Darth Starkiller's sister when she…"

"So it's true?" Anakin asked, resigned.

Jacen bit his lip and nodded, obviously holding back tears. Jaina reached over and put her arm around him, and they leaned together.

"What's going on back home?" Anakin asked tentatively.

Jacen's expression clouded. "Dad's taken over the galaxy, more or less. He and the other military leaders declared martial law."

"When we left them, they were contemplating a suicidal rampage against the Empire," Jaina added. "Hopefully we threw a hydrospanner in the drive on that one, though."

"Or they'll do it anyway and have less of a chance of succeeding," Anakin noted.

"Less than nothing is the same as nothing, little brother," Jaina pointed out.

"We thought saving you and your girlfriend was a good idea at the time," Jacen added. "But if you'd prefer it back in your cell…"

Anakin winced at Jacen's careless mention of the relationship he thought he had with Tahiri, but nodded stiffly conceding the point.

"So where do we go from here?" Tahiri asked.

"Let's just focus on getting off this planet first," Anakin answered coolly. He avoided looking at her, so he didn't see her become crestfallen at his almost-rude response.

"I think we need to get back to the Alliance," Jacen suggested. "Anakin is right. We can't just leave them to commit pointless suicide. We need to restore democracy and true dissention before the galaxy falls into despair and neverending war."

"Okay, Mr. President," Jaina answered with a smile of humor. But Jacen looked suddenly pensive. "What?"

"Mom told me I was going to be president one day."

"Seems reasonable to me," Jaina answerd with a shrug.

Jacen smiled in thanks, but answered, "We're in _real_ trouble when that day comes."

"We _are_ in real trouble," Jaina countered. "But we need something substantial, something to go on. All of this started at the Maw, with my faulty intelligence."

"Yes, of course, the woes of the entire galaxy are your fault," Anakin rejoined sarcastically.

"I'm not saying I'm completely responsible," Jaina answered with a shrug, "but that information seemed _solid_. Something still doesn't feel right about it. And I feel like it's significant… somehow."

"Trusting your feelings is a good thing," Mara jumped in. She indicated Tahiri and Zekk. "Remember how I always told you to trust your feelings? That's because your Force sensitivity makes your instincts more reliable than the average sensor suite." She nodded at Jaina. "The same goes for you Solos."

"So pursue Jaina's lead?" Jacen suggested.

"She does, at least," Mara answered with a shrug. "Who appointed me Grand Master of this motley Order? Anakin's right. Let's worry about this when we get off this rock."


	4. Trust

A/N: This chapter includes the beginnings of the "objectionable" content that makes it so I can't post this story on TF.N anymore. Enjoy!

Also, if you're interested in what a YT-1930 looks like beyond what I provided, I highly recommend Wookieepedia.

**Previously on **_**Fallen**_  
_Mara: "Starkiller sent me to find you. He had inside information that the Empire was planning to do the same thing."__  
__Tahiri: "Why me?"__  
__Mara: "You're Force sensitive, Tahiri."__  
__Tahiri looked stunned. As did the Solos – especially Anakin. Zekk actually gasped.__  
__Mara smiled at him. "Don't look so shocked, Zekk. You are, too."__  
__Tahiri was the first to grasp the implications. "Lowbacca?"__  
__Mara nodded.__  
__"Alema?" Tahiri added reluctantly.__  
__Mare smiled apologetically.__  
__Anakin: "That's why he wanted me, too!"__  
__Mara: "Yes. The three of you would never have made it through the screenings."__  
__Anakin: "The three--? Oh." Anakin glanced at his siblings.__  
__"Is __**everyone**__ Force sensitive?" Jaina demanded flippantly.__  
__Mara's expression darkened. "No. Thanks to Vader, it's actually quite rare."__  
__"But we can all do what Anakin can do?" Tahiri asked breathlessly, her wonder momentarily overcoming her hostility.__  
__"No," Mara answered bluntly. "There are degrees of Force sensitivity, and he's off the charts. His raw power might actually rival Vader's."__  
__Anakin's head spun.__  
__Tahiri: "Even if what you're saying is true, why save us from the screenings?"__  
__Anakin: "He was building an army, wasn't he?"__  
__Mara: "An army that you were meant to lead."__  
__That revelation rocked Anakin on his heels. "Me?"_

_Mara: "Luke would say anger leads to the Dark Side."__  
__Jacen: "Luke?"__  
__Anakin: "Oh. This is the really complicated part..."_

xxx

"What should we expect to find at Hyllyard City?" Anakin asked during the early morning as they trudged through the jungle.

"You'll see soon enough," Mara answered heavily as she navigated a rough patch of terrain. "Unless I miss my guess, we're only a couple hours out."

After a pause, she added, "Not that I don't find it charming the way all you kids have decided to rely on me, whom you considered an enemy a few weeks ago… but you could ask Zekk or Tahiri, you know. They lived on this planet for most of their lives."

Anakin glanced back to make sure Zekk and Tahiri were comfortably out of earshot, and then gave Mara an imploring look.

"Right. So we'll just pretend to ignore your random antipathy for two people you have every reason to trust…"

"She betrayed me."

Mara nodded with feigned gravity. "Yes. Failing to complete her mission to capture you and falling in love with you. Clearly a sign of betrayal."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "She didn't even tell me she was a bounty hunter."

"Would you have?"

"We seem to have strayed from the original topic," Anakin pointed out.

"I assure you your curiosity is undeserved," Mara replied dismissively.

"What's our plan once we get there?" Jacen's voice asked from behind.

Anakin glanced over his shoulder in surprise to find his siblings had caught up to them.

"Oh, this place is crawling with smugglers like any other backwater spaceport. It should be pretty simple to find transport off this rock." She hesitated. "Assuming the Imperials haven't frozen my accounts by now."

"I _should_ be able to access the Alliance Intelligence emergency fund," Jaina offered.

"Meanwhile, I'm a pretty firm believer in only worrying about things I can control, so if you don't mind—"

Mara's sarcastic comment was interrupted when Anakin suddenly gasped and stumbled as his knees threatened to buckle. Jaina reflexively caught him by the arm, and Jacen asked, "What is it?"

"The Force!" Anakin exclaimed breathlessly. "I can feel it again! It's so… big!"

Mara smiled. "Good. That means we're getting closer to the city. There are fewer ysalimiri the closer you get to the edge of the woods."

Anakin felt almost offended at her clinical reaction, but he was too overwhelmed to give it much care. And he found himself staring at Tahiri almost against his will. He felt suddenly drawn to her… as he had when they first met.

The truth suddenly became obvious. It was the Force. He felt drawn to her through the Force.

The enormity of this revelation had his head spinning. Did Force users naturally feel drawn towards each other? Was that the reason he and his siblings had always been so close?

_No,_ Anakin told himself firmly. The relationship, the bond he had with his family was real, reaffirmed by a series of actions and choices that defined his entire life.

But what about Tahiri? He felt drawn to her… and perhaps she felt drawn to him? And they had experienced things together… life-altering, mind-blowing things. Even now, yearned for her so completely it was almost a physical sensation.

And then he noticed that she was staring at him, too. She seemed to have a half-formed oath on her lips.

But Anakin forced himself to tear his gaze away from her. It was too complicated right now. Maybe…

"Ah," Mara exclaimed in relief, breaking Anakin's reverie.

The tree-line was visible.

"It won't be long now," Mara announced to the group.

xxx

Mara Jade; former Bounty Hunter's Guild Headmistress (female human from Hapes)  
Anakin Solo; Jedi Apprentice (male human from Hapes)  
Jaina Solo; former Alliance Intelligence agent (female human from Hapes)  
Jacen Solo; doctor (male human from Hapes)  
Tahiri Veila; former bounty hunter (female human from Tatooine)  
Zekk; former bounty hunter (male human from Tatooine)  
Iella Wessiri Antilles; Alliance Intelligence Assistant Director (female human from Corellia)

xxx

**Trust**  
The space port turned out to be, as Mara had promised, unremarkable in almost every way. It had taken little effort at all to locate a currency dispenser.

"You should probably try yours first," Mara suggested to Jaina. "If they've bothered with my accounts, trying to access them will likely alert every Imperial in the area that I've tried to access them."

"An Alliance Intel red flag is much less daunting at the moment," Jaina agreed, and began logging into the system. After a few moments, she cheerfully announced, "They haven't locked me out. I'll take out as much as I can without drawing unwanted attention."

"How much is that?" Zekk wondered anxiously.

"Don't worry," Jaina assured him. "Field agents often have to make fairly substantial withdrawals from the emergency fund without explanation. It should be more than enough to cover our transportation."

"Where to next?" Anakin asked.

"I would _love_ to get access to a comm unit so we kind find out what's going on out there," she glanced anxiously up at the sky, as though the Rebel and Imperial fleets were clashing just out of sight.

"We should get off this rock as quickly as we can," Mara suggested. "The place is crawling with stormtroopers, and the sooner we get Anakin away from Vader, the harder it will be for him to track him."

Anakin's eyes went wide with realization.

"Oh yes," Mara confirmed apologetically. "He'll recognize your Force presence now. If you get far enough away, he'll lose your trail… he couldn't even track Luke without a great deal of concentration. But you need to get out of his sphere of influence _fast_."

"Smugglers tend to ask fewer questions when you at least know where you're going," Jaina pointed out.

"I've been thinking about that," Zekk chimed in. "No smuggler means no questions. Why don't we buy a ship?"

"I have a few rain day false IDs stashed in the area," Mara mused. "We might be able to manage that."

"That would probably get you your comm. unit," Jacen pointed out to Jaina. "Without any awkward questions."

For some reason everyone ended up looking at Anakin, not Mara. Anakin shrugged and nodded.

xxx

"That Rodian was awfully willing to part with this ship," Jacen commented mournfully as they entered the docking bay.

"It looks like a YT-series," Mara noted.

"It's a YT-1930," Jaina said calmly, despite the obvious pang of its similarity to her lost _Millennium Falcon_. "CEC called it the pinnacle of the YT-design."

"So… upgrade?" Jacen suggested hesitantly.

Jaina gave him a _nice try_ look. "Let's get off this rock."

xxx

Obtaining a ship may have been easy enough… evading Imperial patrols proved to be something else.

"Unidentified transport, this is the _Guardian_. The Myrkr system is currently under Imperial quarantine. Reduce speed and prepare to be boarded."

"Well that was quick," Jaina complained from the computer console.

Mara flipped the comm unit on. "_Guardian_, this is Imperial Medical Transport Omega Gamma 117. I am afraid we can't afford any delays."

"What is the nature of your emergency?"

"We've got an officer in stasis who needs transport to the nearest fully equipped med facility. Seems Command didn't see fit to send the right anti-venoms along for this mission."

Mercifully, there was a pause during which Jaina continued to work frantically.

"Jaina?" Mara prompted.

"I'm almost in," Jaina assured her.

"'Almost ' isn't good enough. 'Almost' in will lead to us being 'almost' alive."

"If they notice me trying to slice in to their comm system, we're cooked."

"If we stall long enough for Vader to become personally interested, we're lucky if they don't catch us alive."

The voice came back, "Omega Gamma, we're not reading you on IFF. Is there a problem with your transponder?"

"We've been having trouble with all our comm systems," Mara answered apologetically.

"Understood. Transmit authentication code now."

"Jaina?"

"Got it!" Jaina answered, to everyone's relief.

"Authentication code confirmed," the officer sounded much more friendly now.

"Thank you, _Guardian_," Mara answered, hoping the relief in her voice wouldn't be too apparent. Then she pulled the hyperdrive lever, and the stars became blurs and disappeared.

xxx

"Jaina! Delightful to see you! Are you aware there's a warrant for your arrest?" Despite her words, Iella seemed genuinely happy to hear from Jaina.

"So we're still doing that?" Jaina asked flippantly.

"Hmm?"

"Arresting people," Jaina clarified. "I'm just trying to keep up with how the legal system works these days."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Iella answered with a shrug. "I'm in the field right now. Force knows what my Wedge, your father, and our boss think is in the Alliance's best interests."

"I was hoping you'd be a bit more in touch," Jaina admitted.

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"Can you at least tell me where they are?"

"Where is the Rebel base… I feel like I've heard that one before. Sorry, don't let me reminisce. Your father wisely decided to relocate to the lovely world of Hoth. You'll probably remember it from your history lessons."

"You think I paid attention in Propoganda 101?"

"If you knew it was Propoganda 101 when you were twelve, you'd outrank me by now."

"You're right," Jaina pretended to confess. "I was always staring at the boys."

"So, officially I'm telling you to report back _immediately_ and not mentioning the whole arrest thing."

"Not mentioning the whole arrest thing?" Jaina repeated, feigning horror. "But then I might fall for it!"

Iella smiled again. "Good luck, Jaina."

"You too. May the Force be with you."

xxx

Jacen was so relieved to find clothes in the storage lockers across from the cabins that he didn't even care they made him look like a smuggler. He also minimized that effect by selecting a few articles from different outfits, all in black. The matching colors would make him look entirely too fashionable to be a smuggler.

That relief was nothing compared to his relief when he saw the shower – a _real_ shower, not a sonic shower – in the captain's cabin. "Oh thank the Force," he whispered to no one in particular as he slumped against the cool surface of the wall and turned on the hot water.

Jacen felt much of the weariness fade from his body before he even began lathering with the soap from the soap dispenser. But the best part was when he began rubbing shampoo through his hair and noticed the fragrance of the beautiful (but deadly) sunblossoms.

Whoever originally owned this ship knew how to travel… it was seeming more and more likely that the Rodian they bought it from had stolen it, and didn't know what it was worth.

After toweling off and getting half-dressed, Jacen stepped out of the refresher into the captain's cabin…

And almost hit the ceiling when he saw Zekk sitting on the bed.

"Oh!" Zekk exclaimed. "Sorry!"

Jacen noted that the courtesy of Zekk's apology apparently didn't extend to not openly staring at him. "That's all right. I'll just get my shirt…" which was hanging on the far side of the room. And Zekk's eyes followed Jacen the whole way there.

"The refresher's free," Jacen stated pointedly.

"Hmm?" Zekk sounded distracted. "Right! Thanks!"

Jacen grabbed his shirt and fled, blushing fiercely.

xxx

Anakin tossed and turned, smashing the pillow in frustration with his fist. It wasn't the bed's fault he couldn't fall asleep; actually, it was very comfortable as far as beds on ships went. Instead, it was Anakin's own anxiety that kept him awake.

Everyone seemed to be looking at him as a leader, the one to make decisions. _Just because I know a little bit about this Jedi business, suddenly I'm supposed to have all the answers? Luke clearly didn't have all the answers, how should I?_

There was a light tap on the door; Anakin was barely sure he had actually heard it. "Who is it?" he called.

"It's me," Tahiri's voice answered tentatively. "Can we talk?"

Anakin felt his stomach sour. He wanted to tell her everything, and he wanted to tell her nothing. He scarcely dared hope…

One thing was for sure, whether Anakin wanted to admit it or not. A significant portion of his anxiety was directly attributable to the situation with Tahiri. Any kind of resolution, even a bad one…

"All right," Anakin finally answered.

The door slid open, admitting some of the dim hallway light. Tahiri had on some soft-looking clothes and her hair was down, providing a stark contrast to her usual look of a combat suit with her hair pulled back. It made her seem more vulnerable. That had to be a trick. The one thing Tahiri definitely _wasn't_ was vulnerable.

Anakin reached for the light switch, then sat up and crossed his legs on the bed. "So?" he prodded.

Tahiri looked around for somewhere to sit, realized there was no furniture in the room but the bed and a table, and continued standing in the middle of the room awkwardly.

"You hate me," she stated flatly. "I understand why. It makes perfect sense, really… but I still can't quiet believe it. After what we shared…"

Anakin found himself at a loss for words. Everything had seemed so clear-cut until she started talking. He didn't hate her. She betrayed him. She didn't care about him. Why should she care what he felt?

But behind her defiant words, Anakin saw real worry, real feelings. She was almost shaking, barely holding herself together. This was not the cold, uncaring traitor Anakin had replaced her with in his mind.

"Tahiri…"

"I want to hear you say it, Anakin. I can't believe it, even though your every action has screamed it… so I need to hear you say it so I can move on."

"Tahiri… I thought…"

"Just say it!"

"I can't!" Anakin almost yelled, overcome with emotion. The air was heavy with silence until he added, "I don't."

Tahiri visibly lowered her guard, and Anakin finally stood and walked over to her, trying to erase the painful distance between them. "Tahiri…"

Before either of them could say anything else, their lips were pressed together and their arms were wound around each other. Soon, Anakin was back on the bed, but this time Tahiri was on top of him.

"We do need to talk," Anakin whispered between kisses.

"Later," Tahiri answered breathlessly.

"Later," Anakin agreed, and rolled so he was on top of her.

xxx

Mara usually didn't dream, or at least she didn't remember her dreams. She preferred to be rational, and consequently saw little use in analyzing the random firings of neurons that happened while her body was repairing itself and storing up energy for the next day. As an assassin, she had gone for days without sleep without any adverse effects. Still, there was little to do while the ship was in hyperspace, so she might as well take advantage of this opportunity for rest.

So she was very surprised when she closed her eyes and found Luke smiling at her almost immediately. "Hello, Mara."

Mara blinked – was she actually blinking, or was this a dream? – in surprise. "Luke?"

"You're asleep," Luke assured her in his soothing voice, "but this isn't a dream."

Luke looked younger… no, not younger, just… less threatening than he had in life. He looked… calm.

"You're right," Mara agreed. "This isn't a dream. Too boring."

Luke laughed. It was a light-hearted sound, full of innocence. Nothing like his real laugh.

"Luke, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm one with the Force now. At peace."

"Let's say I believe this is real…"

"You do," Luke informed her calmly. "There's no point to pretense right now."

"Right," Mara agreed. She would've ran to him to embrace him, but she understood there was no point. He was dead, she was alive. They were here to communicate.

"Don't worry," Luke assured her as if he could hear his thoughts – he probably could, she reminded herself. "I know you love me. And I you. But we'll have plenty of time for that later."

"Later?"

Luke smiled, and Mara felt a feeling of peace wash over her.

"I'm afraid my ability to communicate to this plane is quite limited," Luke informed her. "The Dark Side is too strong… the balance..." he paused. "I've come to suggest how you might proceed."

"Why not Anakin?"

"The brunt of this journey will fall on him," Luke acknowledged. "But my bond with you is older. Stronger. And I don't have to waste time reminding you to trust me."

"So our path is predetermined?"

"No," Luke answered. "But if you make yourself at peace… you will feel where the Force wants you to go."

"I'm not as sensitive to the Force as you, Skywalker."

"My view of the Force was warped, Mara. Yours is too. By violence and darkness… but you can overcome that." He shook his head. "But there's no time for that now."

"What must we do?"

"We were more right about Anakin than we could've realized, Mara. He holds within him the spark to rekindle the Jedi. To do so, he must stand against the darkness and remain in the light… but he can't do that alone. Together, they will be more than the sum of their parts."

"You're starting to not make sense," Mara informed him hesitantly.

"My connection to this world is beginning to fail," Luke apologized. He looked as though he was trying hard to concentrate when he continued, "But Anakin… his mother named him to remind herself why she was fighting. As a result, she pushed him so hard he became great. He must be the one to stop my father. But that task does not fall to him alone."

"The others?" Mara asked. "Jaina wants to find out what went wrong with the Death Star intelligence. Do you know what went wrong there?"

"Yes," Luke answered. "But she must find out for herself… she's right. More is going on than meets the eye. She must go to Coruscant. There she will find a shocking truth that will change the shape of this war."

"Jacen wants to go to the Alliance."

"Yes. He needs to restore democracy and encourage true dissention before the galaxy falls forever into despair and neverending war."

"What about Tahiri? Zekk?"

"Their paths are not clear to me," Luke answered apologetically. "And as for the success of the others… always in motion is the future."

"Me?"

"I know that we will be together forever when the time comes," Luke answered with a sigh. "It is unwise to look too deeply into the destinies of those closest to us. I'm sorry."

"I love you, you stupid ghost."

"I love you too, Mara. Walk henceforth in the light of the Force."

When she woke, Mara did not waste any time questioning whether or not the "dream" had been real. She felt it was real with every fiber of her being. And for once, she didn't question it.


End file.

Star Wars, Adventure, Drama